


Salvation Dipped In Damnation

by rachelarcher



Series: Salvation of The Sinners [1]
Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: F/M, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Lori is dead, carl has too many sisters, daryl is a tattoo artist, mentions of child prostitution, merle doesn't deserve his life, no zombies, rick is a good cop, rick is weary of the dixons, two part story, william is a horrible man
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-16
Updated: 2018-01-16
Packaged: 2019-03-05 12:47:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 11
Words: 6,934
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13388115
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rachelarcher/pseuds/rachelarcher
Summary: On his thirteenth birthday, he wished for a friend, and blew out the candles.He didn’t know it then, but you really should be careful what you wish for.Carl Grimes and Odette Dixon were never meant to breathe the same air.





	1. Prelude

Had anyone asked Carl Grimes, at twelve, what he wanted for his birthday - it would have been simple. He wanted this new baby to be a boy. He wanted to go to Disney with his mom and dad, and little sisters. He wanted a dirt bike better than the one Laine down the road had. 

What he got was another sister - Gracie Grimes. His mother died in childbirth, and Disney was put on hold indefinitely. He didn’t get a dirtbike for Christmas, instead they moved from the plantation house he had grown up in in Cynthiana, Kentucky to his father’s hometown in King County, Georgia. 

On his thirteenth birthday, he wished for a friend, and blew out the candles. 

He didn’t know it then, but you really should be careful what you wish for.


	2. One

She was folded up under the plastic rock wall, that lead to the slide and on the other side the swingset, the first time that Carl Grimes saw her, it was two days after he turned thirteen. He was out, against his father’s wishes, and determined to find some sort of trouble, he’d left his younger sisters at home. 

From a distance she looked closer in age to him, but as the rain started to fall, and he darted toward the rock wall and plastic enclosure for his own protection from the rain, he realized she was older. Knees drawn up to her chest, and her arms crossed over them, her head against her knees, she was crying. 

“Hey, are you ok?” He asked softly, he watched her jerk, her head swiveling around to look at him, her eyes wide and concerned. 

“I’m fine, kid.” She snapped, turning from him once more and pushing her head back down onto her knees. 

Carl sunk down, and sighed. “Why are you out on a day like this?” He asked, curious and concerned, he knew his father wouldn’t like to know about a teenager with no family, one who seemed to be homeless.

She didn’t bother to look at him, instead she snorted. “Kid it ain’t you're problem, ok?”

“Ok.” He finally said, eyes raking over her again, broken down worn out boots on her feet, blue jeans with the knees ripped out of them, and holes up her thighs were tucked into them, and the tank top on her chest was stained and dirty, one strap ripped, and falling off her frame. Her eye was blacked, a scrape across her cheek, and lip busted. 

“Odette!” A shout made her whole body tense, then she bit her lip and looked out across the rain.

“You should hide.” She ordered him, obviously not worried about herself, he heeded her warning although he didn’t want to. He scurried into the rain, on the other side of the rock wall, and peaked around. 

A tall man with a buzz cut, and a shotgun over his shoulder appeared out of the water. “Odette AH KNOW YER ‘ERE!”

“I’m coming, daddy!” She shouted, and darted into the rain, the man caught her by the scruff of her neck, and shoved her into the mud, he kicked her hard in the ribs, sending the girl tumbling, and then yanked her up by her hair, dragging her into the woods.

Carl waited a long time before he left his hiding spot, tears on his face. He ran straight home, where his father looked peeved, but Carl didn’t care, he ran straight into his dad’s arms, and hugged him tight. “Thank you for loving us right.” He dissolved into tear, and broken sobs, soon his sisters - Mika, Lizzie, Jude, and Gracie were hugging them both, and he couldn’t stop.

When Rick finally got out of his sons arms, he leveled him a strange look, “Are you ok, son?” He asked, cautiously, still holding Jude on his hip, and Gracie in Lizzie’s arms. Mika even looked confused. Carl had spent the last several months raging against them all. 

“I am… but I know some kids aren’t.” The statement left Rick staring after him, but Carl kept the girl a secret, for now.


	3. Two

The second time Carl Grimes saw her, she was leaned against a brick storefront in King County. He opted to hold Gracie and wait outside while Rick took the older three girls shopping for Easter dresses - Gracie would be wearing the one Jude wore the year before. She had a cigarette tucked behind her ear, a rebel flag bikini top on, cut off blue jean shorts, a belly ring that shimmered when she turned to look at him, and those same boots on her feet. 

“Hey.” Carl offered meekly, unsure if she remembered him.

“Hi, kid.” She winked, and it filled his chest up with something he couldn’t label. “This yer sister?”

“Yeah, my youngest sister, Gracie. She’s almost one.” The little girl in his arms, with her chubby fingers, made grabby hands at the girl who he assumed was named Odette. 

“May I?” She asked softly, already reaching for the little girl, Carl handed her over, then she smiled down at the blonde hair, green eyed toddler. “There is only one real rule in life, baby.” She whispered. “Just survive, somehow. The most important part of the rule.” She ticked the babies side then wiggled her eyebrows, “Never quit. Never let them see you're afraid. Above all -- never let them see you're hurt. Never let them see you cry. Never.”

Carl didn’t for a second think that she was talking to Gracie.

“Got a name, kid?” She looked back up at Carl, with hooded eyes, her long wisp of dark hair that was neither black nor brown, but somewhere in between, tumbled into her eyes. 

For a moment he couldn’t speak. “Carl.” He said finally. “Carl Grimes.”

“Nice to meet you, kid.” She passed almost one year old Gracie back to him, kissing her forehead, then drew a lighter out of her pocket. “See ya, ‘round.” She pulled the cigarette from behind her ear, and wrapped her lips around it, light the end, and took a drag, all before walking away, her hips swaying.

“Carl, you ready?” His father asked, eyes watching after the girl as she disappeared. “Who was that?”

“Odette. I don’t know her last name.” Carl said quickly. “Just some girl.” He muttered. “I’m ready. Did everyone get dresses?”

Lizzie who was almost nine grinned at Carl, “Yeah, we even got ones like Gracies.” 

Mika, seven, took Carl’s hand in hers and smiled up at him, “Daddy even said they look like something momma would like.”

His heart twisted as Rick moved Jude, almost four, to the other hip, he looked at Carl for a long moment. “Odette looks like trouble.”

Carl shrugged, she was trouble, he just didn’t know what kind. “Not sure, dad.” He decided on.


	4. Three

The third time is what probably sealed his fate. In a red summer dress, with those damn boots on, she was walking down the road in front of his house, twirling her hair in one hand, and swinging the other one through the air, her eye was black again, and it had been weeks since Carl had introduced her to Gracie. 

 

He was mowing the lawn, and stopped, chased her down, “Odette?” He called, tentative, waiting.

 

“If I didn’t know better, kid, I’d say you were stalking me.” She smirked at him, but dropped the hand that had been twirling her hair, tucked her arms over her chest, folded neatly. He raked his eyes over her, taking in her scratched up arms and her scraped knees. 

 

“I swear… I’m not.” Carl grumbled, “I’d say I was normal… but I’m mildly…”

 

She cut him off, with a wild smile.  “It’s the so-called normal ones you have to worry about. Sickos never scare me, at least they are committed.” She took a step closer to him, her boots clicking on the pavement, and a soft expression on her face. 

 

“I can be committed.” He swore. 

 

“Got an age, kid?” She quirked, the same sort of stilted unsureness from the first day, entered her eyes briefly then flickered out. 

 

“Thirteen.” Carl responded, helpless to her charm, the girls eyes almost violet as they met his.

 

“Sixteen.” She responded in kind, before stepping even closer to him. “I’m too old for you, two fucked up for you're picket fence life.”

 

He didn’t have time to respond, before he heard Lizzie shout, “CARL JUDE CUT HER ARM HELP!”

 

In a flash he and Odette were running towards the house, he threw the screen door open, and flung himself into the kitchen. A glass was shattered on the floor, and Jude was screaming. “Move.” Odette shoved him out of the way, and scooped the little girl up, settled her on the counter, and turned the water on, she pushed Jude’s hand under the steady stream of water, then slowly pulled each piece of glass out, all the while repeating a mantra of, “You are ok, just breathe baby, breathe, such a good girl.” Once she had the last piece out, she looked over her shoulder. “Go get me the first aid kit, kid.”

 

Carl bolted, grabbed the kit from the hall closet, then rushed back. Lizzie was already sweeping up the glass, Mika holding a dustpan to the floor, and Gracie was in her high chair. “Thanks.” He whispered, handing her the first aid kit. He had no clue what he did, but after she was done, she pulled Jude into her arms, and just held the little girl, settling her back against the counter, Jude buried her face in Odette’s neck, and let out little sobs. Odette rubbed soothing circles on her back, and hummed out something that sounded like Sister Christian, but he wasn’t sure. 

 

“How’d you, uh, how’d you know how to do that stuff?” Carl asked as Lizzie and Mika started making their own sandwiches, Gracie had cereal all over her high chair. 

 

“Got brothers, patch ‘uhm up and they patch me up.” She offered, by way of explanation. 

 

Carl heaved a sigh of relief, “Thanks, then.”

 

“Weren’t you mowing?” She snarked, a mischievous tone. 

 

Carl sighed, “It can wait. Is she getting too heavy?” He looked at Jude, who was octopusing to Odette.

 

She just laughed, “Nah, kid, she ain’t heavy.”  

 

Carl bit his lip, and looked her over, this time, in the too bright light of his kitchen, against the tiles his grandmother picked out, she looked wrong, dangerous. Her hair was messy, her lips painted a vibrant red, around her busted bottom lip. Her left eye blacked, and her eyeliner smudged on the right side. She didn’t look sixteen, she looked much older and much younger all rolled into one. He realized instantly his mother would never stand to have her in the house, his heart thundered.

 

“Kid, go mow.” She laughed as he pouted.

 

Over an hour later, when he dipped back in, the house was cleaner, spaghetti had been made, and Gracie had had a bath. Odette was gone. “Where is she?” He asked Mika and Lizzie.

 

“Her ha’ta w’rk.” Jude giggled. 

 

Carl pouted, “Did she say anything about me?”

 

The girls giggled, Lizzie handed him a piece of paper with her number sprawled in lipstick.


	5. Four and Five

Carl couldn’t bring himself to call her. Turned out he didn’t have to, she showed up shortly after Rick headed to work two days later, barely standing, with her face bleeding, and her dress ripped. “What happened?” Carl demanded, already shuffling forward to help her in. She looked at him for a long moment before tumbling forward into his arms, her arms snaked around his neck, and he managed to drag her into the hallway. 

 

“Work.” She moaned.

 

Carl felt his heart shattering, he stooped, scooped her into his arms shocked at how light she felt and headed towards the bathroom. After a handful if failed attempts for her to pull her dress over her head, Carl kneeled in front of her. With shaking hands he unlaced the top, and pulled it over her head. Shivering, her body marred in scars and bruises in ever color if the rainbow. He didn't even think about her lack of bra or underwear, as he pulled her boots off. 

 

He started the water, then lowered her into it, hearing her hiss he looked at her face. “Why are you crying?” She asked, already moving to cup his cheek with her dripping hand. She looked utterly confused.

 

“You're hurt.” He responded, feeling her wipe the tears from his face.

 

“This ain't nothin, kid, I've had worse.” The worst part was he believed her. He could see the truth of the statement floating behind her eyes. She needed a handful of stitches on her cheek, and a set of sweat pants along with one of his avengers t-shirts later, he was laying her in his bed. She looked younger in the glow of his Hulk night light. Her hair splayed around her face, and her hands folded under her head, he tumbled in bed with her, after locking the front door.

 

He woke alone, with his curtains blowing in the morning breeze.

 

-/-

 

School started, much to his dismay almost a week after she slept in his bed. She wasn’t there, but he hadn’t thought she would be. On his third day in English, he caught sight of a quote along the margins of his hand me down textbook, that someone had written in purple ink. “She’s proof you can walk through hell and still be an angel.” His heart clenched violently, and for a moment he thought he might be sick.

 

Carl Grimes realized with a certainty he didn’t know he had that he had a problem. He was undoubtedly, foolishly, in love with Odette. Odette whose last name he didn’t know. And who he was pretty sure his father would never ever let him be friends with. In haste he scribbled the quote onto his notebook cover, and dog eared the page. The rest of the day was a blur.

 

By the time he got off the bus at his house, Rick had already been in, and back out. He had scribbled a message on the board - ‘Working a homicide. Maggie is going to bring Jude and Gracie home.’ Maggie was Maggie Greene, their cousin. Carl frowned, under the note was twenty dollars, which he assumed was for pizza. He called in the normal order and got Lizzie and Mika started on their homework. 


	6. Six

It should catch him by surprise, but it doesn’t. Finding Odette in his kitchen, washing the dishes from the night before, that he had promised Rick he would do. Carl watched her for a moment, leaning against the door jam. “I made the cake, the one you're grammy used to make that you're mom was horrible at.” 

 

Carl is surprised that she registered he was there, when he swore he’d never made a sound. “Thanks?” She just laughed, the almost backless red dress tight on her frame, her cowboy boots carefully toed off by the back door. “Where ya been?” He tried to hide the hurt in his voice.

 

“Had to work, kid.” It’s a soft whisper, and a shrug of her shoulders. “I made breakfast for you and the girls.” 

 

As if his body was possessed, he can’t stand it anymore, he stalked up behind her, and hovered for a second, her shoulders tense, as a broken sob fell from his lips, he hugged her from behind, pressing his face between her shoulder blades, and crying. “I missed you.” It’s soft, and barely there, and then in a blink, she’s pressing back against him, wiping her hands on her dress, and turning to face him. Anger wells up inside of him when his eyes locked onto the bruise that was blooming violently from her collar bone up her cheek and over her nose. “You're dad do that?” 

 

She shrugged, and hugged him for a moment, before backing up. “Don’t worry about it, kid.” She ruffled his hair, and winked at him. 

 

“I worry about you.” Carl huffed, reaching for her again, but dropping his arms in haste when the front door clicked open.

 

For a moment she looked panicked, then she gave him a sharp smile. Recognition flickered over his father's face, and Carl felt his face flush. “Officer Grimes, I was just dropping off the cake I made to thank you, for the other night.” Rick looked irritated at the gesture. “My boots were messy so I slipped them off. I was just leaving.” She went to weave past Rick, but he caught her arm, Carl winced at the way she attempted to jerk away from him, eyes flashing in fear.

 

“Thank you, Odette.” Rick hummed. “It’s highly unnecessary to thank a cop for arresting you.”

 

“Gave me a safe place to sleep.” She mouthed, “Now, if you don’t mind.” It takes all her energy to jerk away, then she’s storming out the front door, boots in her hands.

 

Carl felt the moment, the moment his father realized he was missing something. “What did you arrest her for?” Carl knew the answer, he’d known for months what she did to pay for Daryl’s apprenticeship, the sad fact was that hearing it outloud was making it real.

 

Rick leveled him a sharp look. “I think we both know. Prostitution.” The way his face twisted around the word, made Carl seeth. “I don’t want her around you or you're sisters.” Rick sighed, “Please tell me she’s not been here before.”

 

“She hasn’t.” Lizzie’s voice caught Carl off guard.

 

“The girl in the red dress?” Mika asked, “With the cake? Who is she?” 

 

Carl was going to have to give them his lunch money for weeks. Rick seemed to believe them. Another small amazement, is that Rick cuts the cake, and they eat it, the whole while Rick muttering about it tasting just like one Lori’s mother used to make. 

 


	7. Seven

“Dude, that movie was awesome!” Ron Anderson crowed.

 

Carl shot him an uninterested look. “It wasn’t that great, a whole movie where zombies were not called zombies.”

 

He saw her out of the corner of his eyes, a blue jean mini skirt, and crop top on her frame, broke down boots on her feet, and her messy hair tumbling over her shoulders. 

 

“Dude, come on.” Duane Jones called, “We gotta walk back to the police station.”

 

“Go ahead.” Carl waved them off. “I’m going to get a drink, and go to the bathroom.” Carl darted away from his friends, and head to where she was posted up against the wall.

 

“Hey, kid.” She grinned at him. “Come here often?”

 

“Nah, Ron and Duane wanted to watch the new Walking Dead Movie.” Carl muttered. She smiled, just as another dude passed them by, he whistled at her, and winked. “Who was that?”

 

“A piece of shit my dad knows.” She told him with a different smile, one that chilled him to the core. “You know, kid, little birds like you should stay away from big bad kitty cats.” She smirked again, this time pointing at the cat ear headband she was wearing.

 

Carl snorted, “Why are you so pretty?”

 

“Cause I’m damaged, kid.” She smiled. “Damaged people flock to each other.” She locked her lips around a cigarette and lit the end of it. “Come on, I’ll walk you to the station. You're dad on tonight?”

 

“Yeah.” Carl agreed, he felt his face flush when she laced her free hand through his and squeezed. “Odette, how come I never see you at school?”

 

“I don’t go to school.” She stated, at Carl’s raised eyebrow she continued, “I got my GED last year, kid. My momma is worm food and my auntie works night shifts, and I need to be home with the kids, plus I had to go to work.”

 

“Where do you work?” Carl asked, “Maybe I could come see you?”

 

“Kid, it ain’t that kind of job.” There is something haunted and dark in the statement, something forlorn and forgotten. “I help my pa pay off his debts in flesh, kid. I know you are old enough to know what that means.”

 

“I’m sorry.” Carl whispered.

 

“It’s ok, kid.”

 

“Ok.” By now the pair were just shy of the glow from the station, inside he could see Duane and Ron with their fathers, Rick watching out the front, no doubt searching for him, but she had stopped him in the darkness. “Thanks for walking me, Odette.”

 

“You're welcome, kid.” She pressed a soft kiss to his cheek, then moved to  let his hand go. “I gotta head back to the dark side of town.” She quirked, “See you around, right kid?”

 

“Right.” Then he darted away, into the light, when he looked back, Odette was gone. 


	8. Eight, Nine, Ten

Rick ended up having to work the first weekend in October, so Carl found himself holding Jude, with Lizzie holding Gracie, and Mika following behind him as the five wandered into downtown looking for something to do that didn’t cost money. Gracie would be one in the morning, and Carl knew without a doubt that his sisters were missing his mom.

 

“What’s up, kids.” Odette never initiates conversation, but this time she did, and instantly offered to take Jude, the four year old squealed in excitement and settled into her arms.

 

“Tomorrow is Gracie’s birthday.” Lizzie explained, moving the bundled up little girl to her hip.

 

“And the anniversary of mommy going to heaven.” Mika concluded, her nose running a little bit.

 

Odette looked thoughtful for a moment. “You know, I know how to send messages to angels, but they can’t write you back, see heaven can accept letters, but angels don’t get to write back. All we need to do is get some balloons from the Walgreens and a notebook.”

 

Carl watched his sisters faces lite up and decided against mentioning that that wasn’t how death worked at all. They ended up in the small towns park, each of them except Gracie scribbling messages to their mother, and Odette taking great care to tie those messages to the balloons, in neat little cylinders and bows. “Don’t release it until yer all ready.” She ordered, as she tied Carl’s then moved on to Jude’s.

 

When they released the balloons, they watched them disappear, a car horn caught their attention, a man waving erratically at Odette. “I got to go, kid.” She kissed his cheek, then handed Gracie back to him, before ruffling the other girls hair, then skipping off to the car, the man jerked the door open and roughly pushed her in.

 

Carl watched in silent anger as she took the money from the mans hand, and winked.

 

-/-

 

Tapping on his window after midnight is expected, by mid-October, so Carl doesn’t bother to shut it completely. He woke to the feel of cold hands and cold feet, as the dark haired Odette clawed her way under his comforter and into his arms. Instinctively he pulled her closer, the chill of her ribs making him press more firmly against her. “Hey.” Its a soft whisper into her neck.

 

“Hey, kid.” She hummed, just as low, before kissing his temple.

 

Carl shifted to look up at her face. “No fights?”

 

“Nah.” She looked on the verge of tears, she turned in his arms, and reached over the edge of the bed, dragging her jeans up, and digging something he doesn’t immediately recognize out of the pocket. “Pregnant.” She hummed, as he held the test in his one hand, she looked utterly terrified.

 

“Whose the dad?” Carl knew it was the worst thing to ask, but he also knew she didn’t tell him everything, or at least he hoped she did. But, there was a dark look in her eyes when Merle or William were brought up.

 

She shrugged. “It’s gonna change everything and nothing.” Carl didn’t understand. She didn’t bother to explain, instead he curled more protectively around her, and dipped his head to kiss her belly button, before he kissed her cheeks, then let sleepover take him.

 

He woke up to an empty bed, curtains blowing in the chilly October air, and something akin to fear itching under his skin.

 

-/-

 

The next night was much the same, she clambered into bed with him, and wrapped herself around him. “Tell me you're secrets.” She begged him, and so he did. He told her how he hated Gracie in the beginning because in some twisted sort of way his baby sister had killed his mother. He told her about wishing for a friend for his thirteenth birthday, he told her about hating his father for moving them to King County, at first, he told her about hating everything, until she wandered into his life.

 

She kissed him, brushing her soft lips against his, and drawing a startled man from his lips. “You are something, you know that, kid?” She teased, then let him settle his head over her heart, she rubbed his hair until he drifted to sleep. 

 

When he woke up again, his window was closed, but a piece of paper had been edged under the bottom of it. “Thank you, Kid.” written in red ink, and signed with a red lipped kiss. His heart soared and sunk, as if it was suddenly on a roller coaster. 


	9. Eleven

Its a month later before he heard anything or saw anything related to Odette Dixon, and when he did, he ran out of the gym and sprinted  to the hospital. News of Odette reached him through Ron Anderson, the son of one of the police his father often complains about, not that that’s important, what's important is that Odette is in the hospital.

 

“Dude, I know you sort of know that whore.” Ron started, “The Dixon bitch?”

 

Carl bit the inside of his cheek and shrugged. 

 

“Well, my dad and Deputy Walsh found her bleeding out in the alley behind the bar, a couple nights ago.”  Ron grumbled. “Apparently someone beat the shit out of her, and cut her up pretty bad. My dad told my mom the little whore was knocked up, and the doctors think she miscarried.” Carl punched him in the jaw then took off, sprinting. Probably not his finest moment, and any other time of his life he wouldn’t have ran, but he couldn't control the energy. 

 

He barged past the nurses, until Merle’s lumbering form emerged. “Hey, you.” Carl called, until he turned around. “I wanna see Odette.”

 

Merle looked at him with soft eyes, “She aint seein’ anyone, kid.” 

 

“She’ll see me. Tell the nurses her Carl is here, get them to ask.” He could hear the desperation breaking through is voice, he could feel the tears threatening to fall.

 

“You the boy she’s always jabberin’ bout?” Merle asked, even softer. “The one who stitches ‘er up when ah can’t?” Carl nodded, feeling his whole body shaking, Merle drew him into a tight hug, then released him with a clap on the shoulder. “Let me go find Sasha.”

 

Sasha was a dark skinned nurse, who eyed him like he didn’t belong, and maybe Carl didn’t. “She’ll see you.” She pointed at the center of Carl’s chest. “You're dad know you're here?”

 

“No.” He grumbled, “And I will be grounded later, but I need… I need to see her now.” He shoved past Sasha, and inhaled, feeling like he was choking and all the air had been punched out of his lungs. She looked the worse he’d ever seen her, half of her face bandaged up, and her arms wrapped. “Etta?” He whispered.

 

“Hey, kid.” Even she sounded rough, her voice rasping from pain and disuse.

 

He made his way straight to her, inched up the bed, until he was as close as he could be to her. “Oh.” Carl exhaled and ran his fingers over her collarbones, where stitches stuck out here and there, his fingertips featherlight.

 

“Why are you crying?” She asked, a familiar question.

 

“Cause you're hurt.” Carl managed, another sharp inhale, and he linked his other hand through hers. Still running his fingertips along the top of her chest. 

 

“I’ve had worse.” She tried, her voice cracking and breaking. “I lost the baby.” 

 

Her lips trembled, but no tears emerged, Carl sobbed, hard, letting his tears splash against their joined hands. “Can I touch you?”

 

“Yeah.” She whispered, the air between them cold and hot, charged and electric in a way that Carl didn’t understand, he threw his arms around her, and recoiled a little when she punched out a whine, “Ribs.” She hummed, he adjusted his hold, moving to cradle her shoulders, her bandaged hand cupped his cheek, and wiped at the tears on his face, “Please don’t cry, kid.”

 

“This shouldn’t happen to you.” He whined into her neck, pressing impossibly closer, while trying to avoid hurting her more.

 

“Carl.” Her voice sounded strained, even to his ears. “You are the best thing in my life, ok, please don’t cry.” He drew back unsure how to take that. Before he had time to think about it, she pressed chapped lips to his, in a soft chaste kiss. “I love you, kid. And it’s wrong because I’m dirty. I’m going to ruin you, rip you open and tear you apart. Not because I want to, but because I’m cursed, because Dixon’s don’t get to be happy.”

 

“I love you too.” Carl whimpered.

 

“Don’t say things you don’t understand, kid.” She kissed his lips again, pushing harder, then dropped back against the pillows. “You skippin’ school?”

 

Carl shrugged, ambled into bed next to her, and let her head fall onto his shoulder. “Sleep, Etta.” He kissed her temple, and rubbed at her shoulder that wasn’t bandaged. “I’ll stay as long as I can.” 

 

He must have dozed off, because when he woke up, it was Merle shaking his shoulder. “School is lettin’ out in about ten minutes, kid, hit the bricks ‘fore your dad knows you were here.” Carl managed to slip away from her, and make it out of the hospital before he cried, he cried all the way home, eventually sobbing to Lizzie and Mika.


	10. Twelve

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warning : underage sex in this one ; sorry if that's not your thing you can skip it

Odette was released from the hospital on a Thursday.

 

The only reason Carl knew that was because that night, with Merle’s help, she climbed into his window.

 

“Etta?” He whispered to the darkness.

 

She hummed, then climbed under the covers. “I missed you, kid.”

 

“Missed you to.” He breathed against her, then he felt her mouth, soft and sweet - her cupid bow lips pressing gentle kisses to his jaw and peppering his face, like she could kiss every freckle. When she pulled back, he missed her touch.

 

“Carl.” She never said his real name, unless it was important. “Carl, I wanna touch you, ok? But if I do something, anything you're not ready for, you tell me.”

 

“Ok, Odette.” He whispered back into darkness, then her lips were on his, and her hands sliding under his shirt. Carl revealed in the feeling, of her cold hands against his chest, his stomach, moving across his body. He mimicked her movements against his mouth, and attempted to keep his hands as still as he could, afraid he would hurt her, her body still a rainbow of bruises and wrapped in a couple places. “Can I touch you?” Carl whispered to the darkness, a she dipped down to kiss against his collarbone. 

 

“God, yes.” She hummed, instantly he slid his hands up her frame, feeling the dress bunch under his palms, before she pulled up from him, and pulled the dress over her head, the moonlight from the window illuminated her bare chest, her breast maybe a b-cup, her ribs still wrapped from the hospital, and a madrid of scars across her torso, and hips. “Here.” She grabbed his hands and settled them against her hips. “You can hold there, or move them anywhere.” She blushed. “I know you won’t hurt me, Carl.”

 

Carl nodded, as he squeezed her hips, his body trembling, and well aware that most thirteen year olds would be freaked out. He’d thought about this, a handful of times, of her slipping into his room, and yielding herself completely to him. Her mouth covered his again, and he let out a needy whine, she laughed against his lips, before playfully tugging at his shirt. Carl quickly shed it, and basked in the feel of her skin against his, marveled at how well they slotted together.

 

He was quickly addicted to her kisses, to the drug that coursed through his veins when her lips met his, he let his hands dance up, until one rested over her bandaged ribs, and the other cupped the back of her head, her hands tangled in his hair, and his body flushing. “Carl.” She hummed. “Can I…” She tugged at his boxers, and waited. He swallowed before nodding, “We don’t have to.” She pulled back, he shook his head.

 

“I need you, I might never…” His voice trailed off. “Don’t stop, ok.”

 

She kissed him again, then drug his boxers down, with care. Carl blushed, now completely naked in front of Odette, who had been with… he shut the treacherous thoughts down in his head, and focused on her. He was hard, harder than he had probably ever been in his life, he’d only recently learned how to masterbate and not fail miserably. Watching her eyes rake over him, he felt his face heat up more. “You are so goddamn perfect.” She whispered, and before he fully understood, she shifted, straddled him, and sunk down.

 

His world exploded in colors he couldn’t really trace, she was warm, and fit him like a glove, he was lost. For a moment she didn’t do anything, just watched him. “Move.” He begged, “Or I’ll die.”

 

“So dramatic.” She teased, bent forward to kiss him, and rocked her hips.

 

He didn’t last long, and in reflection, she probably didn’t get much out of it… but after, they curled up together, his arms around her, and her naked back to his chest. He fell asleep holding her tight, his face pressed into her shoulders. Like always he woke to his curtains blowing in the morning breeze, but this time, he found a hickey over his heart in the mirror, and a note under his paperweight that read, ‘I love you, kid.’


	11. Thirteen

The sirens caught him off guard, and he honestly didn’t know what to do.

 

Two weeks.

 

Since she climbed into his room, and showed him love.

 

He hadn’t seen Odette since then.

 

But he’d heard, heard about her father getting out of jail, heard about Merle and him coming to blows in the middle of town. Heard about William Dixon gunning his own son down in cold blood, heard it couldn’t be proven, heard William was at home, with Odette.

 

It started a fire inside Carl, burning him from his soul to his fingertips, igniting something he didn’t know he had.

 

Hatred.

 

So, when the tornado sirens sounded, he didn’t know what to do. 

 

Like always, Odette saved him. “CARL!” Her voice sounded over the sirens, “COME ON!” She had his arm, dragging him. “WE NEED TO GET HOME AND GET THE GIRLS!” Her voice calmed him, he nodded.

 

They ran as hard as they could, from the playground back to his house. 

 

Inside Lizzie was attempting to get Mika, Jude and Gracie into the bathroom.

 

“It won’t be enough.” Odette herded them out the backdoor and through the woods.

 

Carl hated himself for not realizing how close Odette actually lived to him, the Dixon property lined the far back side of the Grimes. She led them through the thick forest, and across a creek, until finally they were looking at what Carl would have mistaken for a junkyard, it took a moment for him to realize that it was in fact an old shack, surrounded by cars. 

 

“Come on.” Odette tugged his hand, as the noise of the wind started to grow louder. The cellar looked like it had seen better days, as she helped them in. “Stay.” She ordered, as the wind started to scream. “I need to make sure William is on the couch.” She shut the doors, leaving them in darkness for a moment.

 

When she returned, she had a dog under her arm, and a lantern in her hands. “Is he coming?” Carl had to yell over the howls of the wind as it picked up. 

 

She sealed the cellar door, and laughed. “No, he’s too drunk to wake up.” The smile that lit up her face was one Carl couldn’t quite read, but it made him happy. She helped them unroll the sleeping bags that were hidden in the darkness, and pulled out toys and coloring books. “Daryl used to bring me down here.” She confessed. “When things were bad, and sometimes Will would lock us down here.” A slight tremor ran up her spine. 

 

Carl made sure that Jude had crayons and a babydoll, the old hound stretched out lazily behind her, both Lizzie and Mika were playing with Gracie. He reached out for her, and drew her into his arms. “I love you.” He whispered against her hair, he pressed a soft kiss to her temple, and felt her sag against him. 

 

“Why did you come for us?” Lizzie asked after a long moment.

 

Odette looked at the ground. “You don’t have a cellar, and the trailer ain’t gonna hold itself down. Thought this would be safer. Weathered a bunch ‘ah storms in here.” Her arms linked around Carl’s middle, and she rested her head on his, breathing in his exhale, and feeling the warmth of him under her. 

 

Carl didn’t know how long they sat in the cellar, before she finally declared it safe.

 

Emerging, the world around them was twisted, torn up. Her wooden house demolished, with cars sticking out of it. The dog took off barking and howling. Trees were uprooted in almost a clear path to the Grimes household. Carl hugged Gracie closer to his body, and took Jude’s hand in his. Mika and Lizzie were already headed toward what was left of their trailer, Carl looked at Odette for a long moment.

 

“I love you too.” She said it with a soft clarity, just as Rick’s screaming broke the silence. “Gonna check on William, now.” She brushed the back of his hand with her finger tips, before walking away.

 

Carl felt his heart seize up, watching her pick her way through the wreck nature had left behind. 

 

Ahead of him, his father was frantic, hugging them all. Carl took off in a run to his father. “She saved you?” Rick asked, clearly confused.

 

“She knew we didn’t have a cellar.” Lizzie supplied. 

 

Rick frowned. “Was William with you?”

 

“No.” Carl sighed. “She couldn’t get him to wake up.”

 

“Serves him right.” Rick declared. “The house is mostly standing. Hershel is going to let us stay with him. The twister only touched down in a couple of places.” He looked toward the house that Odette had disappeared into. “I’ll be back.” Rick declared, taking off to help her.

 

“No.” Carl snapped. “I can help her.” He pushed past his father and clambered over the metal corpse of a car, he scrambled into the house, with his father following him. Odette was standing in what was left of the living room, a strange smile on her face. Where Carl assumed the couch had been, now a metal carcass of an old muscle car had landed. “Etta?” Carl whispered, ignoring his father as he took the last few steps to her.

 

“Son of a bitch.” She grumbled. “All this time, and it's some sort of poetic justice that his car smashed him, don’t you think?” She didn’t look away, instead she instinctively leaned back, until Carl’s arms wrapped around her.

 

“I’d say I was sorry, but he deserved to die.” Carl whispered, low, aware his father was not far behind them. “Odette, you're not old enough to be on your own.”

 

She turned in his arms, and cupped his face in her hands, “Daryl is coming home. Was going to anyway, he finished up his schoolin’.” She pressed her forehead to his. “Ain’t going nowhere, Carl.” She promised. “I love you, kid.” 

 

Rick made a choked noise behind them.

 

The pair turned to face him.

 

“How long have you been saving my son?” Rick demanded. “We are going to have a conversation about lying, later, Carl.”

 

“Since we moved here.” Carl muttered. “She’s the only friend I’ve really made.”

 

Rick frowned again, “Looks like more than friends.”

 

“Ain’t his fault, Friendly.” Odette almost moved out of his arms, but Carl tightened his hold. “I tried to avoid him, but he kept givin’ me those puppy dog eyes.” She bit her bottom lip. “Don’t be mad at him.”

 

“I’m not mad, just… disappointed he didn’t tell me about you.” Something akin to sadness settled on his face. “Was the baby yours?” He looked very seriously at Carl.

 

“No.” He whispered. “Not mine.”

 

“I don’t know whose it was.” Odette offered. “But I ain’t…” 

 

“She didn’t sleep with them cause she wanted to.” Carl declared. “She loves me, and only me, right?”

 

“Right.” Odette laid her head on his shoulder. “Friendly, all those times you arrested me, it was cause Pa or Merle were makin’ me do it.” 

 

“I believe you.” Rick looked towards the sun, as it shone down on them. “How about some lunch, and we sort everything out?”

**Author's Note:**

> Pause for a moment ; Thinking about writing Daryl's arrival


End file.
